Pesto Chicken and Vegetable Soup

A hearty soup full of vegetables, shredded chicken, cannellini beans, pesto and topped off with parmesan cheese!

Have you disposed of all of your Halloween candy yet? And when I say disposed I mean have you eaten it or were you good and gave it away? I imagine when you have kids it’s hard not to pick through their stash and help yourself to some, I know that I would be. While I was out running yesterday morning trying to burn off the Reese’s and 10,000 candy corns I ate I saw some mini peppermint patties laying on the sidewalk and thought how much I love sticking those in the freezer and then eating them when they’re frozen….clearly my sugar buzz had not worn off yet.

Today is a new day though and it’s time to get back on track. I love having days where I eat what I want and don’t care, but usually once that day is over I’m ready to get back to my normal eating habits which involve lots of protein and vegetables. This Pesto Chicken and Vegetable Soup fits into both of those categories and it tastes delicious too!

If I’m going to eat soup as a main course then it needs to be hearty. Tomato soup, as much as I love you, you are not a main dish kind of soup. This pesto chicken and vegetable soup however is! The soup is so loaded with healthy ingredients that it’s almost more like a stew except you don’t have to cook it for hours and hours. Aside from chopping up all the vegetables, it’s also really easy to make. It’s a great soup to make when you have a bunch of vegetables that you need to use up or some leftover chicken from the night before.

I used butternut squash, carrots, kale, onion and green beans when I made the soup, but you could easily substitute any of the vegetables for whatever you have on hand. I had a leftover chicken breast from the night before that I shredded and threw in, but rotisserie chicken would be another option if you’re short on time. The pesto added into the soup and more dolloped on top adds a delicious fresh Italian herb flavor to the soup. That along with the shredded parmesan cheese makes this soup extra special. I ate the soup as is, but it would also be delicious with a piece of crusty artisan bread if you’re craving some extra carbs!

Pesto Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup cubed butternut squash, cut into approximately 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 cups kale, chopped
• 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
• 32 ounces low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons pesto
• 15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 large cooked boneless skinless chicken breast, shredded
• Shredded parmesan cheese and pesto for toppings

Instructions

1. In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
2. When the oil is hot add in the cubed butternut squash and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add in the onion, garlic, carrots, thyme, salt and pepper and cook for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add in the green bean and cook until all of the vegetables are tender, about another 3 minutes.
5. Add in the kale and cook until it starts to wilt.
6. Add in the diced tomatoes, pesto and chicken broth, then stir everything together.
7. Bring to a boil.
8. Once the soup is boiling add in the shredded chicken and cannellini beans and cook for another 3 minutes.
9. Serve the soup topped with shredded parmesan cheese and a dollop of pesto if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 326Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 361mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 10gSugar: 6gProtein: 21g

More Soup Recipes:

Light Loaded Potato Soup

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Turkey Taco Soup